What Future For Dublin's Victorian Fruit & Vegetable Market? Ireland 1968

Has Dublin’s fruit and vegetable market outgrown its Victorian premises?
‘On The Land’ visits the Dublin Fruit and Vegetable Market and asks what the future holds for it?
Most of the vegetables for the Dublin market are grown in North County Dublin and are delivered daily before dawn. By 6 am deliveries converge outside the market in time for opening. Early arrival means a good place in the queue, a quick sale and a quick return home for the farmer.
Between 8 and 9 in the morning, the market and the streets around it are at their busiest.
The narrow streets around the market which were originally built for horses and carts are now crammed with tractors and trailers.
In 1862 a market was planned for Dublin but it wasn’t until thirty years later. The Dublin Fruit and Vegetable Market was set up in 1892 so that supplies for the city could be sold in orderly and hygienic conditions. Since the market was built, Dublin’s population has doubled and the demands on the market with it. However, the market itself remains much as it was when it first opened.
The market is the property of Dublin Corporation who rent the stands to all traders on a weekly basis.
Although there is no strict grading on produce, many traders voluntarily grade their own fruit and vegetables. However, marketing of produce at the Dublin market is thought to be poor and well behind our European counterparts who are competitors of Irish growers.
Prices fluctuate alarmingly. A dry spell can send the price lettuce and tomatoes rocketing. Prolonged wet weather can mean the opposite.
In recent years, many larger supermarkets have diverted their supplies away from the market by dealing directly with growers. Growers have responded to this demand through the establishment of the North Dublin Growers Cooperative. While the Coop has stands at the market, it also sells its produce from its own premises at Blake’s Cross.
Small shopkeepers are increasingly coming to the markets for their own supplies rather than having them delivered, resulting in an enormous growth in traffic around the market.
In the new affluent suburbs, people are eating more vegetables and fruit.
Imported material is also sold at the market and is often better presented than Irish produce, representing a real threat for Irish growers.
Our system of marketing fruit and vegetables has been described as old-fashioned, even archaic. It has hardly changed in this century.
For now, Irish horticulture is protected by tariffs but how will it stand against foreign competition after joining the common market?
This episode of ‘On The Land’ was broadcast on 21 May 1968. The reporter is P.P. O’Reilly.

[@benji.B-side]

So interesting. Love these videos of the past ways of life.

[@seandelap6268]

I really enjoy watching these videos.

[@bouncer2005]

What happened to our country 😔

[@mikefoxo]

Really great. Have you got anything on the cattle market that used to be in Prussia St.?

[@deeppurple883]

I'm from the market's area and worked in them also. So did most of my family, the fruit and veg and the fish market to. My granny and aunts had stalls in Moore St selling all the foods from our lands and seas. That's why our families were so big we could feed them. Granny had 15, my mum lord rest her had 7 and all uncles and aunt's all had 7 and up. All ill say about them days is, they were different thank God. ✌🏽☘️

[@pellakilbane]

Lovely childhood memories of Dublin 💚

[@keithwhittygmail]

And now look what we got for our troubles. 😳

[@trevormcshane4986]

Love these old vid,s of times gone bye 👋

[@stpatricksghost]

Great video thanks

[@rosk.wilburn5847]

Great video

[@horsepat]

Get your Apples 4 for a Pound 4 for a POUND!!!!!!

[@bernardcurtis1764]

could the video be cleaned and made clearer as i possible know people in it as I worked there at that time.

[@bernardcurtis1764]

god, , looking at the video of the market brought up memories of that place as i was working there at that time, I was looking to see was I in it!

[@staffy4389]

In does day's buying Irish goods created jobs for Irish people , now buying Irish goods creates job's for polish people 😀

[@melissa0386]

beether time

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

Someone said the market was not the cleanest, I completely disagree, The foodstuffs were pure, not like crazy chemicals growing like we are supplied with today. In my working life, I have inspected some well-known hotels, posh and normal type resultants also takeaway cooked foods places, I would not take a glass of water from any of those places. as most are filthy, rat-infested, and that is complete truth, I do not want to upset the very clean and properly managed business, I

[@ossian11]

Amazing how people survived back then

[@DouglasPark-rx2bn]

Now dublin is soon to be the bigest city in europe!, cos its "dublin" every day😂

[@AwesomeAngryBiker]

The fake audio is dreadful. Why not use original audio

[@bigears4426]

Not the cleanest looking market I've seen. Handling fruit and veg has changed thank Christ